Former Manitoba biologist pens memoir about 45 years in the Arctic

Murray Gillespie has published A Wild Life: 45 years as a Wildlife Biologist, a memoir that recounts his 45-year career with Manitoba Natural Resources and the Canadian Wildlife Service; copies are available through the Manitoba Métis Federation Marketplace and directly from the author.

Murray Gillespie has published A Wild Life: 45 years as a Wildlife Biologist, a memoir born from a family project to preserve stories. The book was released shortly before Christmas and traces his childhood in Macdonald, Man., through a long career with Manitoba Natural Resources and the Canadian Wildlife Service. His work took him across the Arctic, where he tracked wildlife, ran field camps and collaborated on documentaries. Gillespie has also shared his experiences as a speaker in schools and First Nations communities to highlight environmental changes. Key details: - The memoir collects adventures from a 45-year career, including fieldwork across northern Manitoba and the Arctic. - Gillespie described an 18-day canoe trip northwest of Churchill, undertaken to collar geese, as "life-threatening" for his then-inexperienced crew. - He worked with the BBC and managed a primitive High Arctic camp for a crew filming caribou. - Gillespie uses the book as an educational tool and has spoken about threats from climate change and industrial expansion. - Internal issues at his publisher have delayed arrival in major bookstores, so he has been hand-delivering copies across Manitoba and shipping orders to places such as Saskatoon and Churchill. - Copies are available through the Manitoba Métis Federation Marketplace or by contacting Gillespie, and he will be at the Portage la Prairie Regional Library on Saturday for a book signing. Summary: The memoir has generated strong local interest despite distribution delays, and Gillespie has been meeting readers in person while fulfilling orders. The book documents decades of northern fieldwork and public outreach about environmental change, and a public signing at the Portage la Prairie Regional Library is scheduled for Saturday.